So apparently hand washing and sterilising instruments haven't always been a thing in medical field and the surprising fact is that the idea came about as late as in mid 18th century. Let me tell you the story about it.
This took place in Vienna where it was noticed that deliveries done by doctors had higher mothers mortality rate by purpeural fever as compared to the deliveries done my midwives.
Ignaz Semmelweis compared the instances between the two clinics (if anyone want details of it I would give them because I feel not everyone would be interested in it) and concluded that washing hands and cleaning the surgical instruments with chlorine cut down the rates of mortality to a large extent and this huge looming problem was solved.
You would think that people would have cheered and gotten excited for such a big breakthrough but it was quite the opposite, them peeps were very offended at the prospect of them themselves causing death to their patients so Semmelweis gained influential enemies and got fired. They held a meeting and decided against the idea.
Imagine a bunch of old farts holding a meeting and gravely and somberly discussing whether or not should they wash their hands after autopsies or surgical procedures and maintain the sterility of the instruments and very logically disapproving the idea and bullshit their way through the entire meeting.
In 1865, Semmelweis was committed to an asylum, where he died at age 47 of pyaemia, after being beaten by the guards.
The idea was rejected until after Semmelweis death when Louis Pasteur confirmed the germ theory and Joseph Lister, acting on the French microbiologist's research, practiced and operated, using hygienic methods, with great success.
I feel sorry for the guy.....
